


Wholehearted

by Kamidani



Series: A Different Time, A Different Story [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Action Scenes, Canon Divergent, Enjoy these heart hotel interactions, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It was great practice, Jk i had fun writing this, There is some softness but most of this is fighting, This is somehow both painful and fluffy, Watch as i half-heartedly attempt to properly tag this, Yaaaaaaaay..., i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 02:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18955663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamidani/pseuds/Kamidani
Summary: Before they can face Xehanort and end this war, Sora has to rediscover the Power of Awakening and bring Ven back. And before he can do that, they have to bring back Aqua. There's two problems with this plan: first off, Ventus is already awake. And Aqua?She's not coming back without a fight.





	Wholehearted

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a sucker for heart hotel interactions, and since there were almost none in game I took it upon myself to entirely rewrite both the Darkqua fight and Ven's awakening. This also marks my first ever attempt to write fight scenes, so, you know. It is what it is.

"Sora, if you complain one more time, I'm jumping out the window!"

 

"Oh come on, Donald," Sora teased, wagging his eyebrows up and down. "You can't tell me you don't like the idea of having a Baymax around to help us out. He's super cool!"

 

"We don't need a Baymax!" the contrary duck griped. "You already have  _ me _ to heal you!" For once, it was Goofy who beat Sora to the punch.

 

"Well, uh, Donald, maybe if you actually healed us more often-"

 

" **_What did you say?!_ ** " 

 

Sora cackled as Goofy tried to smooth over Donald's anger, peeking over the edge of the armrest with barely contained glee. The level-headed knight had his hands held up in surrender while Donald waved his staff around threateningly. When the two of them glanced over at Sora, he ducked behind the backrest of his chair.

 

"You have anything to add, Sora?" Donald rasped, his already gravelly voice getting even harder to understand in his anger. Sora stifled a giggle.

 

"No, I think Goofy covered it fairly well." He curled up smaller in his seat, tucking his knees against his chest as he snickered. Donald, for his part, let out a wordless sound of irritation. 

 

"That's it," the duck declared, "from now on until we get to where we're going, we're playing the Quiet Game!" Sora groaned in annoyance as Donald continued. "Anyone who talks gets zapped!"

 

"Donald, that only worked once. I'm not a little kid anymore-" The telltale crackle of magic in the air was the only reason Sora managed to cast a barrier in time. Even so, he could feel the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end from the residual charge. "Okay!" he yelped. "Quiet Game it is." He settled into his chair with a pout, letting his hands rest on the wheel for just a moment while he got his bearings. He'd flown this patch of space fairly often, which meant there weren't really any Heartless to worry about. He settled in his seat with a sigh.

 

There was nothing to do but wait for something to happen. There were no more worlds nearby, no pulses of darkness to lead him to his next destination. He hadn't found all seven New Lights, but with any luck that meant the Organization hadn't either. They'd get their war, but the Princesses would all be safe. All of them, except for one…

 

The sound of the Gummiphone going off shook him from his new train of thought. Jimmy hopped out of his hood as Sora dug his phone out of his pocket. 

 

"Sora, someone's calling us on the Gummiphone!" Sora smiled a little. Yes, he could see that, Jiminy, thank you for that timely reminder. Although, he couldn't blame the cricket for worrying. He had managed to zone out and miss calls before, even when the volume was turned up. Sora waited until Donald and Goofy had gotten close enough to see the screen before he answered the call. As he did, he stuck his tongue out at Donald. Shortest Quiet Game ever.

 

" _ We got baaaaad news! _ " cried Dale as the call went through, shaking the phone on his end and blurring the picture. Sora recoiled in surprise, and all four passengers in the ship yelped at the sudden declaration. Chip yanked Dale away from the screen, panting in fear.

 

"We've totally lost contact with the King and Riku!" Sora's heart sank.  _ No. No no  _ **_please_ ** _ no.  _ "They're all on their own in the Realm of Darkness!" The little chipmunk looked terrified, and Dale was clinging to his side, equally shaken. 

 

"What?!" Donald and Goofy exclaimed. Sora sat in shocked silence, uncertainty winding its way up from his heart and choking him. Jiminy patted him on the cheek, and he finally found his voice.

 

"See?" he cried. "I knew I should have gone!" His companions did look slightly guilty at his outburst, but there was nothing they could do about that now. 

 

Donald leaned forward, bracing himself on Sora's armrest. "Chip, how do we get to them?" 

 

Sora took a shaky breath. Now was  _ not _ the time to panic, even if there were  _ certain other people _ in his heart doing their level best to drive him insane. As it turns out, having three conscious people in your heart who could project their emotions onto you was a little distracting at times. Sora put up a mental barrier the best he could, shutting out his passengers. 

 

"Oh, now we can ask?" Sora questioned bitterly.  _ Don't panic don't panic don't panic. Deep breaths. _

 

"It's not like we can use that big old door anymore," Goofy pointed out. "It's completely gone!" It was a good distraction, puzzle solving instead of dwelling on the what-ifs and could-have-beens. Sora forced himself to focus on that. Don't make more problems, find solutions.

 

"Yeah, we closed it after beating Ansem." Sora hummed. As far as he knew, once he locked something with his Keyblade, he couldn't unlock it. At least, he'd never tried. But some subconscious instinct born from wielding a Keyblade for the past few years told him that it just wasn't possible. Good news for the hearts of the worlds he'd sealed. Bad news for Plan A.

 

"And we certainly can't ask the King or Riku," Jiminy mused. Sora grit his teeth in annoyance.

 

"Cause you wouldn't  _ let _ me ask!" he bit out. Jiminy shot him a look, and he held his tongue, but it didn't make him feel any less wronged. 

 

"Only King Mickey can open a door to the Realm of Darkness!" Dale burst in, shoving Chip back out of the way. Sora leaned forward, eyes glinting with a dangerous light. On either side, Donald and Goofy also leaned in. If Mickey could open a door there, maybe he could figure out how to do the same.

 

"It's because he has a special Keyblade of Darkness!" Chip shouldered his way in front of Dale again, looking calmer now that he knew Sora was just as determined as they were to find their missing comrades. "He figured out how to make it open the way!" Sora let out a frustrated groan. The only Keyblade he had that might have been considered to be made of darkness was Oblivion, and that one was buried deep in his heart with Roxas. He had no idea how to summon it anymore. 

 

"Gawrsh, what'll we do then?" Goofy scratched his head, the picture of mildly disgruntled confusion. His calm was going a long ways towards keeping Sora from vibrating straight through his chair with nerves, to be completely honest. They didn't exactly have many options, and there was no one to call for backup. Hell,  _ they _ were supposed to be the backup. 

 

Sora was out of ideas. He had nothing to offer except determination and pure spite, at this point. Although, the insistent pounding on the inside of his heart begged to differ. Sora, with a quiet grimace, let the mental barrier he'd put up earlier slide away. In its place, a maelstrom of emotions  _ slammed _ into him. Most of it was feedback from Roxas, who tended to be the loudest whether he meant to or not. The shadow with no name that curled in the corner of his heart had nothing but vague impressions to offer, the same as usual. And Ventus, who was front and center, was practically yelling at him, the same phrase that had, in some ways, started this journey. It wasn't exactly in  _ words _ , they couldn't communicate directly like that unless they jumped straight into his head, which involved a whole other host of problems. But Sora got the gist of it.

 

"May my heart be my guiding key," Sora murmured. Ventus  _ finally  _ settled down, his message delivered. Sora smiled softly. As usual, that was really all he needed to remember. His heart knew more than he did, in more ways than one. "It'll show us the way!" he added, with much more conviction. He stood up, calling his Keyblade into existence. It settled into his palm, cool and familiar. He pointed it forward, and let the burgeoning feeling of warmth envelop him and shoot outwards. 

 

And like before, a gate opened up in front of them, a swirling pool of light that reminded Sora of the stories the oldsters on the Islands would tell, of great sea monsters and the whirlpools they used to suck down ships.

 

Although, he'd actually seen that happen. So maybe it wasn't so far fetched after all?

 

Both Donald and Goofy exclaimed aloud at the gate's sudden appearance, although Roxas was giving off that "I told you so" feeling. Words weren't necessary to get  _ that _ idea across.

 

"But where does it lead?" Sora murmured, both a legitimate question and a retort to Roxas's smug attitude. Somewhere in there, Ventus was bouncing up and down in anticipation. They were  _ finally _ going to get Aqua!

 

"It doesn't matter!" Donald grabbed his arm and shook it. "Go!"

 

"Hurry, Sora!" Goofy urged. Sora let himself smile, let a little hope build up in his heart.

 

"Okay!" He flopped gracelessly into his seat, taking hold of the wheel and launching them straight through the gate. Wherever it took them, with any luck they'd be a step closer to Riku.

 

Although, when he saw the golden shores of his childhood home, he wasn't sure whether to be ecstatic or disappointed. Even with that confusion muddling his thoughts, he landed the Gummi ship in record time, vaulting out of the cockpit and onto the sand. He drew in a deep breath of salty sea air and then set off, eyes narrowed as he scanned the horizon.

 

He was glad to be home, but he had to have been brought here for a reason. And Riku was depending on him to figure out  _ why _ .

 

"Why do you think that gate took us  _ here _ ?" Sora wondered aloud. For once, Roxas was oddly silent, and Ventus was doing the mental equivalent of pacing in circles. And Donald and Goofy had no answers for him, either. There was nothing here, just sand and sea and sky and that Keyblade-

 

Okay, in all honesty, Sora probably should have reacted to the Keyblade a bit faster. He wandered up to it in disbelief. Then, when he stooped to pick it up, his oldest passenger let out a  _ wave _ of despair, enough to nearly knock Sora over. The brunet only managed to cover his stumble by taking a knee in the sand, though Donald and Goofy were probably still giving him weird looks.  

 

He rose to his feet, shaking, the Keyblade firmly in hand. It was much more blocky and long than most Keyblades he used. However, there was none of the usual resistance that came with holding someone else's blade. Even Riku's Keyblade complained when he held it, but this one lay almost completely dormant.

 

It didn't take a genius to figure out why, not with Ventus mourning in the back of his heart. This blade had belonged to someone important. Someone who was long gone now.

 

"It looks so old," Donald commented. Sora was inclined to agree, although not because of how it looked. There was a weariness to it, a soft exhaustion humming along the metal. Sora rubbed it with his thumb, already feeling guilt that he was probably going to end up using the tired blade.  _ You'll get to rest soon _ , he promised it silently. Even so, he was somewhat confused.

 

"How did it end up here?" He'd never heard of a Keyblade washing up on the beach before.

 

"Maybe it's another guiding key!" Goofy suggested. Sora let out a mirthless laugh.

 

"Sure, but to guide us where?" He held it out jokingly, letting it point wherever it wanted to. And, just like that, the Keyblade roared to life in his hand, anchoring itself to his heart and leeching power to fire the beam. Sora gasped at the sudden power drain, nearly dropping to his knees again. All three of his tenants, even the quiet little shadow, cried out in alarm, but Sora managed to keep his balance, barely retaining his hold on the weapon.

 

Sora gasped in shock as he saw where he'd pointed the beam. The Secret Place. The little cave where everything had began, so long ago. He took off running without a word to his companions. He could tell they were right on his heels anyways. A savage, primal joy was singing in his veins, the kind that stained his skin black and made his eyes glow crimson. He wouldn't be kept away from the real fight any longer.

 

He'd been stuck on the sidelines for too long. Xehanort may have stripped him of his power, but he'd clawed his way back to his former glory with a vengeance, armed with Keyblade and purpose and  _ rage. _ He could feel his window of opportunity slipping away, the tiny margin of time he had to get his strength back shrinking with every hour.

 

And now Riku and Mickey were MIA, with Aqua's life hanging in the balance. Sora was scared, plain and simple. His best friend was down there, trapped and alone. He'd closed the door on him once.

 

**_Never. Again._ **

 

Ventus's heart sung out with him in vicious agreement, and even Roxas was getting excited, despite the sour note he gave off any time Riku was mentioned. 

 

Sora came to a screeching halt several feet from the cave entrance, digging his heels into the sand. He stared in awe at what had replaced the little mouth of the cavern.

 

"A door!" Goofy cried, nearly bumping into his back.

 

"Let's go!" Donald cried even louder, obviously fired up. Even so, something in Sora didn't like the thought of that. Something in him told him that his companions couldn't come along this time. 

 

"Not you guys," he said, sounding more calm than he had since Chip and Dale had delivered the bad news. Donald and Goofy reeled back in shock. Sora walked forward, feeling the distance between them acutely with every step. He was  _ scared _ , but he knew what he had to do. "The Realm of Darkness- it isn't safe for you." He didn't want to go alone, his heart trembled at the thought, but he refused to risk any more friends.

 

"Forget it," snarled Donald. "I'm going!"

 

"Yeah!" For once, Goofy sounded genuinely angry, distressed at the thought of letting Sora go alone. "You can't make a whole pint without us!"

 

Of course. It was never easy, not for him. Sora forced himself to turn around and face them, putting on his best reassuring smile without even realizing it. He had to convince them, no matter what his fear wanted him to do.

 

"Come on, guys, think about it!" he pleaded. "Even the King and Riku struggled in the darkness!"  _ And who knows if I'm strong enough to stand a chance.  _ "Someone needs to stay out here, just in case. If something happens to the rest of us, you two need to carry on." Even as Sora said it, he could feel Roxas rebelling against the very idea. Ventus, too. But it was the harsh truth that he'd learned during his exam: just because they were fighting for peace didn't mean they were going to win. He'd almost been lost to Xehanort's plan back then. His strength hadn't mattered, neither had his purpose.

 

Sometimes, the bad guys won. And no matter how scared he was, he had to accept that.

 

"Sora…" Donald said, as soft as he'd ever heard him. Then he stomped his foot, eyes narrowing. "Stop it!"

 

"We understand," began Goofy, ever the arbiter, "but we don't want you goin' someplace dangerous on your own!" He leaned forward, eyes wide and pleading. Sora knew why. He knew just as well as they did that if he decided something, there was no use in trying to get around it. If they didn't convince him now, they'd be stuck. But he'd already made up his mind. So he held out his hands to either side, palms up in a placating gesture.

 

"Thanks, guys, but I'll be fine!"  _ Hopefully _ , he thought to himself. Roxas poked him on the inside, an pinprick of pain that never failed to make Sora wince.  _ Probably,  _ he amended, and was rewarded with a slightly softer poke. "I'll make sure Riku and the King are safe. Trust me." At the very least,  _ they _ needed to make it out of this alive. Aqua, too. Ventus had been waiting too long for Sora to allow her to wait down there any longer.

 

Donald and Goofy both sighed sadly, and shared a look that long experience allowed Sora to interpret immediately.  _ There's no changing his mind, is there? _

 

"You promise to be good?" Donald asked.

 

"And come home nice and safe?" Goofy followed up, wringing his hands together. Sora grinned, his heart swelling with affection and a confidence that only these two could give him.

 

"Right!" With that, he turned to go. If he looked at them a moment longer, he might start crying, and now was  _ not _ the time. He had an old friend to rescue; several, in fact. The gleaming handles of the doors taunted him. Once he went through, there was no turning back until this battle was finished.

 

_ Good, _ came the vicious reply. Sora felt a chill run through his spine. Roxas didn't come to the forefront of his mind very often. When he did, it was often more trouble than it was worth. Sora could protect hearts just fine, but think with more than one voice in his head? That was a different problem. Thankfully, the telltale anger of Roxas's presence faded to the background again as he slid away from Sora's mind. Left in his wake was a steely determination, which Sora gladly grabbed hold of. Power hummed against his palms, tracing the path of his veins all the way to his heart. Roxas's anger was a powerful weapon all it's own. Behind it, Ventus's quiet determination held them all together, a balance to Sora's impetuous nature. And the quiet little shadow snuggled in closer, bracing for the incoming storm. Sora let his own light shine a little brighter, the only comfort he could offer to the wisp of a heart he'd never managed to draw out of its shell. 

 

Just as Sora reached for the handle, and braced himself for what was to come, he felt it- a pull on his heart. It was different from how any of his tenants felt, different even from the malignant echo of darkness that sometimes bled out in his rage. This- this was-

 

_ Sora… _ a tiny, exhausted voice begged. Sora gasped, his whole being suddenly aflame with urgency. His previous hesitance destroyed, he flung the doors open and charged through, teeth grit in challenge. Riku had saved him, when he'd called his name. Now it was time to return the favor.

 

Sora felt the cold call of darkness singing against his skin the moment he took the plunge, but he shoved it away firmly. He was more focused on Riku's light, shining far below him. His heart was so much dimmer than it usually was, flickering in plain and exhaustion. Sora directed all his power into heading  _ down _ , pulling all the magic he had in him to launch him towards the surface of the water.

 

It was with practiced grace that he flipped around, hitting the water in a crouch, forcing the magic that had carried him to absorb the force of his impact. He let it disperse in a flurry of sparks, and straightened to his full height, grinning dizzily at Riku's shock.

 

"I made it!" he declared, completely uncaring of the spinning tornado of darkness writhing angrily on the beach. Riku's eyes lit up, and so did his heart, that dim spark from before roaring to life. It made Sora feel giddy, that he was enough to revive Riku's light. Even he could feel it, the way his own heart burned fiercely at the thought of fighting by Riku's side once more. Not even Xemnas had withstood their combined might.

 

When Riku let his Keyblade disappear, Sora felt the barest moment of confusion. Then his own heart caught up, and he grinned wildly. He knew  _ exactly _ what Riku wanted to do, and he felt his heart  _ sing _ . He could feel Riku's heart beating next to his, and when that rush of power hit him, Sora knew that it was all him. Not Roxas, not Ventus, not even the siren's call of darkness. Just Sora's heart, dizzy with joy to be with its match. As Mickey had put it, their hearts were in tune.

 

Calling Mirage Split and Nightmare's End had never felt so easy. Maybe it was because Riku really was here beside him now, and not trapped behind the wall of a dream. Either way, it was with wild glee that Sora felt the two keyblades merge together into one: 

 

_ Horizon's Edge. _

 

They toed the line where land and sky met, where the sun peeked past the edge of the world and bathed them all in shades of gold. They were the dawn that Riku had been searching for for so long, and it felt so  _ right _ . And the demon tide before them quivered in the only fear that Heartless knew- fear of the light, and fear of the Keyblade. They were about to bring the dawn to this land of eternal night, and those monsters knew it.

 

When Sora let his hand drop, instinctively in sync with Riku, even he was surprised at the pure  _ power _ that blazed forth. An eruption of light cleaved through the shadows, decimating them like fire through paper. They crumbled to nothing, and Sora let fierce joy race through his veins. 

 

The tide shivered, and writhed, and flung itself from side to side. But it disintegrated, and flung King Mickey to the sands. Sora and Riku dropped to the water's surface. Immediately, Riku was on the move, dashing towards Mickey. Sora hesitated.

 

He could feel it. Another heart, calling out-

 

_ Aqua _ .

 

Sora only had a moment to reel back in shock, only a moment to take in the dark stain on her skin, the tattered remains of her once well kept clothing. Then she was  _ moving _ . Straight towards Riku.

 

Sora's feet moved of their own accord, launching him to the same destination. His Keyblade came to him without a thought.

 

He blocked Aqua's attack with milliseconds to spare. He heard Riku gasp behind him, felt the sand shift beneath his feet-  _ no time for details. Just the fight. Just Aqua. Focus, Sora! _ It took both hands to fight her back, even with the amplified strength the Keyblade gave him. He  _ pushed _ , and she fell back. He spared a glance over his shoulder at Riku, and smiled a little at the surprise evident on his friend's face.

 

"How, Sora?" he breathed. Sora held out the Keyblade that had come to him in his moment of need, the one that had guided him here.

 

"I… had a little help," he admitted. He turned to look at Aqua.

 

In his heart, pain, fresh and raw, blossomed.  _ Ventus. _ He was hurting. He was falling apart, seeing his friend like this. It only cemented Sora's determination.

 

"Watch over the king," he ordered, eyes on his opponent. "I've got this." Aqua held her Keyblade out to one side, stance prim and poised like a dancer. Sora's eyes flicked, side to side, taking in their arena. No obstacles, no pillars or rocks in the way. Good for visibility, but he wouldn't be able to rely on Flowmotion for speed then.

 

All that took but a moment to decide, and then Sora was stepping forward.  _ She's just like any other opponent, _ Sora reminded himself as Ventus wailed in his heart.  _ You can't let your guard down just because she's a friend. You can't afford to lose this fight. _ He settled low, Keyblade held close and poised on the balls of his feet, ready to move at a moment's notice.  _ You can't afford to let your heart get in the way this time. _

 

Aqua made the first move. She disappeared in a flurry of black, and Sora danced to the side as the portal reopened right next to him. He wasn't fast enough to block her first strike. Her Keyblade crashed into his side, sent him flying above the water. He righted himself just in time to block her second strike, but the force shoved him straight down. He stumbled, but retained his balance. He swore under his breath, skipped to the side as she hurled magic at him without pause. Inside, Ventus screamed out in misery. 

 

" _I waited for_ ** _so_** _long._ " Sora gasped, stumbled as her magic sailed past his shoulder. Her voice… it-

 

"Aqua!" Sora cried. Or rather, Ventus cried. Somewhere back there, Roxas was cursing, trying to yank him away from the forefront. But Sora couldn't tell himself apart from Ventus, couldn't fight the grief and desperation that filled his- their heart. "Aqua, please!" they begged. The old Keyblade vanished, and was replaced with something much more distinct. Wayward Wind curled backwards along his forearm, and Sora lost himself to the glow of Ventus's heart. "We came to help you! You don't have to be alone anymore!"

 

" _ You don't know true loneliness _ ," Aqua spat. Time slowed as she dashed forward, and he raised his Keyblade to block, only to be thrown aside by a mirage. Three separate Aqua's paced around them. " _ You shouldn't have abandoned me. _ " Ventus shook, trembling under the force of his best friend's rage.

 

"Aqua, you don't understand, I-" 

 

" _ Fall! _ " she roared, and the waters trembled at the force of the magic that barrelled towards them. Ventus froze, and  _ finally _ Roxas succeeded in pulling him down, away from Sora. The brunet dove to the side barely in time, and Wayward Wind was replaced by the Kingdom Key. He sprinted around the circle of their little battlefield.

 

" _ I wandered these shores endlessly _ ," she murmured, her soft voice at odds with the vicious strength of her Keyblade. " _ But help never came. _ " Sora finally managed to duck past her guard and get a few strikes in. He swung- down, thrust, side; spin, side, thrust. He finished with the most powerful downswing he could muster, then a burst of light that forced Aqua to her knees, if only for a moment. Ventus screamed, fighting against Roxas's hold. Sora shook his head.  _ Focus. You can't falter, not against a Master. _

 

"Aqua!" he called, swinging his Keyblade up to meet hers. She blocked, but that was what he wanted. He pushed up, forcing her to hold her ground or risk losing her balance. "You have to fight this! You're stronger than the darkness, you always have been! Please!" Aqua growled, and magic flared around them. Sora let himself go limp, using her own strength to propel himself backwards. Great shards of darkness and ice flew past him, and he shuddered at the intense cold.

 

" _ What could you possibly know of my strength? _ " she hissed. " _ You left me here to die! _ " Sora dove, rolling on his shoulder to avoid her wickedly fast advance. She skated across the water with ease, swinging her Keyblade in wide arcs that threatened to take Sora's head off. Each strike was a near miss, thanks only to Sora's impressive muscle memory. She growled again, a feral noise that grated on Sora's ears. The mirages appeared again, each of them spinning and gathering magic around them in a deadly dance. Sora backed away, breath coming in quick pants. He wasn't winded, just scared. 

 

_ Sora, please,  _ Ventus begged, on the edges of his mind.  _ Let me help her _ . It was with a heavy heart that Sora shoved him back. Ventus's compassion was going to get them killed. 

 

With no warning, Aqua was right in his face, and Sora took another heavy blow to the side. This time he rolled across the surface of the water, crying out in pain. He skidded to a halt, braced on one knee, Keyblade knocked far across the arena. Aqua saw this, and smirked.

 

Sora dove forward to meet her, empty handed. She raised her Keyblade, not even bothering to not telegraph her move. Why would she, when Sora had no weapon to fight with? Sora grinned as he ducked under her strike, twisting his torso to slide just inside her range. His blade came to him like it always did, and he landed a vicious hit to her ribcage, sending her flying back. She gasped in pain, and Ventus let out another sob. Sora, finally feeling confident in his grasp of her fighting style, called his own magic to his fingertips. Fire danced along his forearms, and he threw it at her angrily. It popped and crackled, steaming across the water's surface. Aqua dodged to the side, but Sora was there to meet her.

 

"I won't let you leave them behind!" he cried, throwing his weight behind his swing. Aqua parried, shoved him back, but stumbled. Sora drove forward again, and she warped away. Sora crouched, one hand braced against the water. When she reappeared, he launched towards her, just skimming the edge of the bright orbs she threw his way. "Don't you see? Your friends are depending on you! Ventus, and Terra-"

 

" _ Don't talk about them!"  _ Aqua literally exploded in fury, the light blinding Sora just long enough to let her throw him back. He cursed under his breath. He had to close the distance. If it came down to magic, he'd never be able to keep up with the Master. 

 

He pushed to his feet, calling his magic close to him. He molded it until it crackled and roiled with energy. Sparks danced as he unleashed them, a whole field of lightning strikes that Aqua couldn't hope to dodge. Her cry of pain grated on his nerves, but he pressed the advantage, landing another flurry of strikes before he was forced to dance away. She was mad, now- the hailstorm of ice and magic seemed never ending.

 

" _ What could you possibly know about them? _ " Aqua grit out, suddenly slowing, pacing uneasily. Sora matched her, the two of them walking a wide circle around the other.

 

"I know they care for you deeply," he began, choosing his words carefully. "I know Ventus, especially, can't wait to see you again." In his heart, Ven struggled limply in Roxas's hold, exhausted. He let his stance relax slightly, hoping to extend this momentary truce. "He-"

 

" _ You're Sora, aren't you? _ " she interrupted. Sora nodded, once, slowly. She laughed, an eerie sound that echoed over the water. " _ I remember you. Pathetic boy. Not even worthy of wielding a Keyblade, not when your better stood so close. You've always wandered in his shadow, haven't you? _ " Sora flinched, his heart clenching in pain. Roxas roared soundlessly, still holding Ven back, who had stopped struggling and was now watching with bated breath. 

 

"Riku has always had a brighter heart than mine," Sora admitted. "All that meant is that I had to follow and make sure he didn't get blinded and lose sight of the right path. Turns out I needed a Keyblade to do that, so here I am." Aqua laughed again, a pitying sound.

 

" _ You've spent your whole life trailing in his wake _ ." She slowed to a halt, eyes burning amber in the low light. " _ And that's how you'll die _ ." She disappeared, and Sora crouched again, ready to move. He scanned the whole arena. And still, he didn't react fast enough when she appeared right under his nose.

 

A strangled cry escaped him before her fingers closed around his throat, lifting him above the ground. His Keyblade slipped from his fingers, and he scrabbled at her iron grip with increasingly short breaths. 

 

"Aqua- please-" he wheezed, panic clouding his mind. If he'd been thinking, he'd call his Keyblade and attack her open side. If he'd been thinking, he would bring his magic to bear and force her back. If he'd been thinking, he wouldn't waste his energy kicking at the ground he couldn't reach.

 

" _ It's over _ ," she told him simply. " _ Close your eyes, now, Sora. The darkness welcomes you. _ " Sora felt tears staining his vision, his head growing fuzzy with the lack of air. And in his last conscious moments, he couldn't find the strength to keep Ventus away. The determined boy threw Roxas off him and took control, and Sora's body hung limp as he focused all his strength in meeting Aqua's eyes.

 

"Aqua," he rasped. Her eyes shot up, immediately noticing the difference. "You promised to-" he stopped, coughing harshly as his throat protested. "You promised you'd come wake me up," he croaked. Aqua's tense expression cracked, gave way to something unknowable and afraid.

 

"Ven?" she whispered. All at once, she let go, and Sora slipped to the ground in a heap, coughing and wheezing as he greedily sucked in air. He looked at her, all trust and love as the beleaguered boy fully overrode his thin veneer of control. 

 

"Aqua," Ventus breathed. "It's me. Please, come home." Aqua stared.

 

" _ Are you- are you in Sora's heart? _ " she wondered aloud. He nodded excitedly. Her face went dark with anger. " _ He trapped you there. _ " Ventus gasped. 

 

"Wait, no, Aqua, he  _ protected me-! _ " His pleas weren't enough to stop her from raising her blade, top pointed at his chest.

 

" _ I'll free you, Ven, _ " she promised. " _ I won't let you be trapped like I am. _ " Sora wrested control back from Ventus and rolled away just as she stabbed downwards. Phantom pains wracked his form, the memory of what it felt like to plunge a Keyblade in his chest. He had no desire to repeat that. 

 

"You're wrong, Aqua!" Sora shouted, calling his Keyblade back to him. "My heart isn't a prison!" He dashed forward, towards the girl with amber eyes and a bright heart, wreathed in darkness. "It's a sanctuary!" She laughed, mocking. But this time, Sora didn't flinch. Her Keyblade came down towards him and he batted it away, throwing her off balance and leaving her whole front open to attack. He could have done major damage, with blade or with magic.

 

Instead, he reached his hand forward, called to the light that slept so deep within. He cleaved through the layers of darkness that trapped her, stripped them away until all that was left was the grieving heart of a lost Master.

 

"It's time to wake up, Aqua," he whispered. "The nightmare is finally over."

 

The darkness shrouding her faded, leaving behind only the soft blues and whites of her original garb. Sora gasped as she fell backwards, her eyes only fluttering open for a moment. She hit the water softly, then sank into its murky depths. Sora yelled out, Ventus's voice echoing alongside his. Without even thinking, Sora dove in after her. Somewhere far away, he heard a voice yell out his name, but his eyes were focused solely on the girl drifting aimlessly in the waters below him.

 

He reached out, called her name through the shadows. And, miracle of miracles, her eyes opened, and her hand reached for his. As he grabbed hold, he couldn't help but smile. Ventus sighed, content. It was time to bring Aqua home. 

 

~~~~~

 

While Aqua laid on the bright sands of the Islands, chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of sleep, Sora got chewed out by a very concerned Riku. Donald and Goofy didn't even have to say anything. Sora, for his part, looked appropriately contrite, but Roxas was taking smug satisfaction in having annoyed Riku.

 

"Why have you been keeping this a secret?" Riku snapped, arms crossed. Sora backed away a step, smiling guiltily.

 

"Ventus asked me to! He didn't want you guys thinking he'd be a distraction. I still had a job to do, passengers or not." He scratched his cheek. "Ah, also, Roxas kinda enjoyed being able to make comments behind your back-"

 

"I'm sure he did," Riku griped. "Doesn't mean you can keep these kinds of things a secret."

 

"Riku's right," Mickey called from his place by Aqua's side. "Your heart is unique, Sora. You have to tell us what's going on or we won't know how to keep you safe and healthy." Sora hung his head, turning away from all of them.

 

"It's not like it's gonna be a problem for much longer," he mumbled. "When Aqua wakes up, we'll be able to get Ventus back, and with any luck I'll find a way to get Roxas back sometime soon, too." He heard Riku let out a deep sigh, and Sora winced. He'd have to give Riku a big hug later, to make up for all the worry he'd caused him today.

 

Ventus jumped to attention in his heart, and on reflex Sora turned to look at Aqua. She was just beginning to stir, eyes creeping open to the warm tropical sun. Sora dashed over, and both him and Riku called her name in excitement.

 

She peered at them for a moment, then smiled beautifully, eyes twinkling.

 

"Ven. Terra," she breathed. Sora and Riku shared a glance, even as a pang hit Sora through the boy in question. He called her name again, a little uncertain, and Riku did the same. Her eyes narrowed, and comprehension dawned. "It's you." It wasn't disappointment on her face, but it was pretty close. 

 

"Thank goodness you're awake," Mickey told her, smiling in relief. She smiled genuinely then.

 

"Mickey," she said warmly. She sat up and looked around, blinking against the bright sunlight. "Are these… the Destiny Islands?"

 

"That's right," the King assured her. She gathered her knees under her, and Sora felt his heart ache at the careful compassion on her face.

 

"When did they fall to darkness?"

 

Oh.  _ Oh. _ She didn't realize- she didn't  _ know- _

 

It was Riku's warm voice that brought him back, that made Aqua's eyes widen in shock and hope that had long been dead.

 

"You're in the Realm of Light." He smiled at her, his eyes soft in only the way Riku could be. Aqua gasped and stared at the impossible blue of the sky above them, arms limp at her sides. Ventus ached inside Sora, but Sora held them back from throwing themselves at her for a hug like they so dearly wanted to.  _ Give her a moment to process, Ventus. _

 

But, that didn't stop him from extending his hand to her with the brightest smile on his face. He couldn't help it, couldn't help the joy that spilled out in his voice. 

 

"You're home!"

 

Aqua choked out a laugh, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Donald and Goofy repeated Sora's declaration, and they along with the king dove in for a long overdue group hug. Sora couldn't resist anymore, and leaned in around Goofy with a wide smile. Riku rested a hand on his shoulder, and Sora wrapped an arm around his waist to pull him in closer. 

 

"We did it," Sora said with a breathless laugh. Aqua's eyes focused on him, and his breath escaped him all at once. The others backed off, and Sora was left under the intense gaze of the Master.

 

"You're Sora," she stated simply. He nodded once, feeling sick at the similarity of the question. But this time, there was no mocking undertone, no accusing eyes. Just a soft but deep curiosity. "You're the one who saved the worlds."

 

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Sora chuckled, backing away. Behind him, Riku scoffed.

 

"Yes, that's him," he confirmed, resting one hand on Sora's shoulder. "Multiple times, in fact." 

 

"Hey!" Sora complained, twisting around. "You helped!" Before Riku could retort, Aqua giggled softly at them. Sora turned back to face her, filled with an odd mix of elation and fear. She smiled reassuringly, and he wasn't sure if it was himself or Ventus melting at the soft look in her eyes.

 

"I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I should've seen your strength for what it was back then. But you managed to get a Keyblade anyways. Who bequeathed you? Did Ven?" Sora laughed nervously.

 

"Ah, not exactly? No. Uh, no one- no one actually ever gave me the Keyblade." Sora shrugged, trying to hide in his collar. "It just showed up when I needed it, and I've had it ever since." Aqua frowned. "But Ven- Ventus, he's here. With me." Her frown deepened, and Sora sighed. "When you guys fought Xehanort, Ventus fought Vanitas and his heart was damaged. He came to me, and his heart has been resting in mine ever since." He held his hands out to either side. "We just had to get you first so you could show us the way to his body so he can be himself again." Aqua examined him a moment more, before she held one hand out to him. Sora hesitantly took it, thinking that maybe she wanted assistance getting up off the sand.

 

Instead, she pulled him down into her waiting arms. The part of him that was firmly Ventus absolutely melted at the familiarity of it, and Sora didn't have the heart to feel nervous. He just went limp, sighing into her shoulder as she combed her fingers through his hair.

 

"Thank you for keeping an eye on him for me," she murmured. "But I think it's high time we go wake him up. He's been sleeping long enough, yeah?" And when Sora lifted his head and nodded in agreement, it was Ventus, shining through his eyes and smiling like the sun.

 

~~~~~

 

Perhaps the last place Sora expected to go was Castle Oblivion. Ventus and Roxas were both tight lipped about this place, and what little Sora had learned of it from Riku was equally uninformative. It was a place he and Roxas were deeply connected to, he knew that, but Ventus had never spoken of it before aside from the casual remark that what Sora didn't know couldn't hurt him. 

 

So why were they here, of all places?

 

"It didn't use to look like this," Aqua explained, and Sora realized with red cheeks that he may have said that last bit aloud. "But I used the Master's Keyblade to lock this place away, so that no one would be able to get to Ven aside from me." Sora blinked, and sent a mental glare inward. That would have been nice to know, even if they couldn't do anything about it.

 

"Ventus never said anything about that," Sora grumbled, and Aqua shot him a fond grin. She had adjusted to the news of her friend's tenancy quite well, though Sora almost felt as if he was on the receiving end of a few looks that were really meant for Ventus only. He almost felt like he was intruding, which was an odd thing to say when his heart was the one being used as a hotel. Then Sora blinked as realization struck. "Wait, the Master's Keyblade? You mean this one?" He summoned the blade he'd found on the beach, and Aqua's face darkened with grief.

 

"That's the one," she agreed softly. "It belonged to Master Eraqus. He trained Ven, Terra and I. I wish… I wish he was still around. We could all benefit from his wisdom, right now. And with the fight with Xehanort so close, you could definitely use the extra training." She smiled at the shorter boy, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Your reaction time is superb, but your form could use some work." Sora shrugged, grinning a little at the praise.

 

"Well, I suppose that's not too bad for a self-trained Keyblade wielder." He held out the blade to Aqua, who took it reverently. "I guess technically Yen Sid is my Master, but he seems more like the grumpy old uncle you don't dare disappoint. There were a couple oldsters like that back on the Islands. Maybe someday I'll find someone who can really train me. Riku had King Mickey, so maybe then I'll catch up to him." Aqua hummed softly.

 

"A discussion for another time," she stated decisively. Sora snapped his mouth shut, watching her carefully. She held the Keyblade out, and a beam of light struck the door. Sora gasped as a Keyhole appeared. So you could unlock something that had already been locked by a Keyblade! Or maybe, only under special circumstances. Either way, both Sora and Ventus were practically vibrating with excitement. Aqua turned the key, and the lock clicked, and just like that, light washed over them.

 

The haphazard, chaotic structure of Castle Oblivion began to rearrange itself, expanding and contracting and reshaping until it stood in the shape of the most elegant castle that Sora had ever seen. The dense fog around them parted, revealing blue skies and silver edged clouds, pierced only by rising towers of rock capped in rings of gold. It was  _ beautiful _ , and Sora abruptly understood why Ventus had been so eager to someday show him this place.

 

Aqua grinned at his enthusiasm, though he was too busy spinning in place and taking everything in. She laughed out loud, and he glanced at her, eyes dancing with barely contained glee.

 

"Come on," she giggled. "Let's go get Ven." Sora ran after her as she ascended the steps to the castle, dashing past her with an enthusiastic shout. "Sora, wait," she called, trying not to laugh as he wrestled open the doors. Ventus knew the way like the back of his hand, and Sora let him guide the way as he ran. The throne room took his breath away, as had everything else in the castle, and Sora's breath caught as he saw the figure slumped over in one of the thrones across the room. 

 

"Ventus, it's- it's you," he murmured. A gentle wave of reassurance washed over him, and Sora settled a little. Aqua appeared behind him, a little out of breath. Sora turned to smile at her, before jogging across the stretch of tile between him and the boy he'd known for so long. He could feel a glow beginning to form, a tie solidifying between the heart laying dormant in his and its true home across the cavernous room. 

 

So distracted was he, that he didn't notice when someone else joined their little party.

 

"Well, that was a neat trick. No wonder no one could find him." Sora gasped and spun around. There, coming up the other set of stairs-!

 

"Vanitas!" he snarled. He didn't need Roxas to add the growl of rage to his tone. Aqua sprinted past him to stand by Sora, the two of them forming a physical barrier between the dark soldier and Ventus's sleeping body.

 

"Why are you here?" Aqua demanded, her tone cold and sharp. Vanitas laughed cruelly. 

 

"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt your touching reunion. But surely you won't begrudge me a moment with my  _ brother? _ " The last word was whispered mockingly, turning what should have been an endearment into an insult. Sora could sense it, sense the moment that Vanitas reached for the darkness to warp his way past them towards Ventus. So when Aqua dashed forward to meet him, Sora jumped back, and when Vanitas reappeared he met the seeking teeth of Sora's twin blades.

 

"Hate to break it to you," Roxas jeered, flashing Oathkeeper and Oblivion smugly, "but you lost the right to call Ventus your brother a long time ago. Get lost, freak." Roxas glanced over at his companion, made sure to lock gazes with her. "Stay back, Master Aqua," he stated lowly. "Its been awhile since I've been in a real fight. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." Vanitas stared for a moment, then burst out laughing.

 

"So the Nobody cares for the weaklings!" he cackled. "You really do have quite the collection in there, Sora." He took a step back. "Having an extra Keyblade won't save them, Nobody. I'm finally reclaiming what was stolen from me so long ago!" He leapt forward, his arm pistoning back as he prepared to drive Void Gear forward.

 

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Roxas roared, flying up to meet him. He spun rapidly, his two opposing Keyblades curled around him in a shield of metal fangs. Vanitas couldn't penetrate the spinning maelstrom of blades, and was thrown backwards into the wall. He sprung off of it neatly, driving towards the floor and skidding across the smooth tile. Roxas landed lightly across from him, and let the tips of his Keyblades rest lightly on the stone.

 

"Such confidence, from a child who's spent his whole life serving your Someone's enemies," Vanitas jeered. Bitter flames ignited on the end of his Keyblade, and Roxas tensed in preparation to move. "Is it fun, playing at being a hero? Pretending you can do anything more than fade into the shadows?" Vanitas lunged without warning, and Roxas scrambled to evade. He barely missed being bludgeoned by Void Gear's blunt teeth, but managed to inflict a glancing blow as he dodged. Vanitas hissed, and twisted mid-lunge, flinging burning magic at him. Roxas raised his Keyblades, but they did nothing to halt it. He screamed as it boiled him alive, a deeper pain than any real fire could inflict, and distantly he heard Aqua cry out in alarm behind him. Magic, green and soothing, curled around his limbs, and Roxas spared a moment to thank whatever deity was out there for the presence of the blue haired Master.

 

"I may not be Sora," he grit out, his body-  _ Sora's _ body- starting to feel the strain of so many battles in a row. "But I can still protect the people that we- that  _ I _ care about! I'm not letting you touch  _ either _ of them, you hear me, you fishbowl helmet bastard?" Light exploded around him, bathing him in a halo of stardust. Vanitas took a hesitant step back.

 

"How?" he blurted out, curling away from the vivid display of power. "You come from the Shadows, like I do. How do you wield so much light?" Roxas let a feral grin overtake his features.

 

"Don't you get it?" He began jogging forward, the tips of his Keyblades grating on the stone, throwing up bright flashes of sparks. "Without my shadow, Sora could never burn as bright as he does. We need each other, in a way you could never understand." He broke into a full out sprint, teeth bared in challenge. "If I'm destined to spend my life as the darkness at his side, then so be it!" He dove forward, Oathkeeper pointed forward, straight at Vanitas's chest, where a half heart still beat.

 

"You're a fool!" Vanitas cried, leaping back and batting Roxas's graceless charge to the side. "Pretty words won't do you any good, Nobody! I'm taking what I came here for!" He lunged forward. Roxas moved to parry his blow, and choked on air as instead, Vanitas grabbed his collar and held him close. "You get to have your Other. Now stop being greedy and give me back  _ mine _ ." Vanitas reached forward with his other hand, and Void Gear clattered to the ground. Roxas froze for just a moment, but it was enough.

 

Enough for Vanitas's features to twist in horror and rage, as he reached for Ventus and felt…  _ nothing _ . 

 

"What- what did you do. What did you  _ do?! _ " he roared, throwing Roxas back. He grinned in triumph, wiping sweat off his brow.

 

"Why do you think we switched, dipshit? As long as I'm up front, Sora can focus all his attention on protecting Ventus. There's no shield stronger than his heart. You'd have to go through  _ all _ of us to get to him. Think you can hold out that long?" Vanitas glanced at him, then to the side where Aqua was seething silently, Keyblade raised and waiting.

 

"Fine then," he spat. "You get a free pass this time. But next time we meet? I'm taking my brother back." A corridor of darkness appeared directly behind him, and he stepped into it without breaking eye contact. Roxas sneered in contempt.

 

"We'll be ready and waiting," he promised. As Vanitas disappeared, Sora cautiously unfurled himself from around Ventus's heart. They both did the mental equivalent of stretching, relishing the release from the cramped confines during the battle. Roxas felt his eyes droop in exhaustion, and he let his Keyblades vanish from limp fingers. "All yours, Sora," he murmured.

 

With a sigh, Roxas dropped from the front, and Sora fell to his knees as he was unceremoniously dumped back in control. Aqua rushed forward, but he held up a placating hand.

 

"I'm fine," he gasped. "It's just always rough when Roxas switches in." He climbed to his feet shakily, letting out tiny cries of pain as a myriad wounds alerted him to their presence. He swore he could still feel his skin crackle and burn from Vanitas's magic. With painstaking care, he turned to face the thrones. "A nap is kinda sounding really nice right now, Ventus." All he got was a vague nudge from the wrung out boy, and he approached the chair with a weak laugh. 

 

"Will you be alright?" Aqua asked quietly. "It won't hurt you when Ven's heart leaves, will it?" Sora shook his head, leaning on the armrest.

 

"I don't think so," he sighed, "but then again, this is all different than we expected. We all thought that I would need the Power of Waking to wake up his heart, but he woke up himself to protect me during my Exam. The only other time I've freed someone's heart is-" He halted, drew in a shaky breath. "I unlocked my own heart to free Kairi's, and became a Heartless in the process." Aqua gasped aloud and Sora grinned sadly. "If I can't figure this out, then…" 

 

All three occupants screamed in protest, and Sora frowned. Ventus would be saved, but what would happen to the others if his heart was lost? Roxas might be fine, he would probably just take Sora's body like before. But what about the little shadow? What if they were lost because of Sora's carelessness?

 

"Sora, that's  _ not _ an option." Aqua came up behind him, placed her hands on his shoulders. "The Keyblade must  _ never _ be used like that, you understand? You can't just forfeit your life." Sora shrugged, reached a hand forward to touch Ventus's limp arm. If he was being honest… he just wasn't sure what else to do.

 

**_Ba-bump._ **

 

_ C'mon Sora. It's time to let go. _

 

Sora gasped. He didn't remember closing his eyes, didn't even remember moving from where he had been leaned over Ventus. But when he opened his eyes, he was standing on the same glass platform he'd seen so many times before. His own sleeping form was depicted below him, grasping the Keyblade and floating serenely above an outline of the Islands, and the faces of his friends.

 

_ Ventus?  _ he called out, shaking ever so slightly. He knew what this was, what this  _ meant _ , but whether he was ready to face that truth was another issue entirely.  _ Please. Tell me what I need to do. _

 

_ You already know what to do, Sora. You've always known. Your power was just sleeping, waiting for when you truly needed it.  _ Ventus's voice was kinder than he'd ever heard it, low and soft. It surrounded him like a warm blanket, soothing away the fear that gripped him.

 

_ But… what if I don't have it?  _ Sora wondered softly. _ What if you're stuck here? What'll we do then?  _ Ven let out a sigh, somehow giving the impression of being the perfect mix of exasperated and fond.

 

_ Have a little faith in yourself, Sora! Your heart knows the way.  _

 

_ My heart…  _ Sora placed a hand on his chest, bowing his head. The answer was always the same, it seemed.

 

_ So. What is your heart telling you? _

 

Sora looked down at the glass picture of himself, feeling an odd sort of nostalgia for the boy he used to be. Ven was right. He knew exactly what to do, even as his heart cried at the thought of losing the presence he'd known longer than anyone else's. He held out his Keyblade, watched as the keyhole revealed itself. It was blinding to look at, the last layer between Ventus and the waking world.

 

Light traveled out in a wave, and the whole place began glowing even brighter than before. Sora felt his feet lift from the glass beneath him, and as he floated away from it, the surface peeled away. Hundreds of white doves flew off into the abyss, revealing the picture hidden underneath.

 

"Ventus," Sora breathed, his voice shaky. He knew he couldn't hesitate, couldn't stop before his own heart gave out on him as he considered what he was about to do. He aimed at the emblem on Ven's chest, let the power building in him release, and strike the glass heart.

 

_ Thank you for always keeping me safe, Sora… _

 

The boy watched as Ven's heart, the one he'd sheltered for over a decade, flew up and away from him. Sora landed on the glass with a quiet thud, watched as Ven left him behind. He couldn't withhold the quiet sob that escaped him, though he held his hands up to his mouth to stifle the sound. The tiny star of light that was Ventus's heart halted, and drifted back down a ways.

 

_ Sora? _

 

"It's nothing," Sora lied. "Go, please. Aqua is waiting for you."

 

_ Sora, you're crying! _ Ven's heart shot back down towards him, and Sora shielded his eyes with one hand at the brilliant light.

 

"No, it's- really, I'm okay. Please, don't wait here cause of me." Ventus drifted to a halt just above Sora's reach. Despite the fact he was nothing more than a sphere of light, Sora could tell he was pondering.

 

_ You know I'll be right there with you when you wake up, right? I'm not leaving you behind.  _ Sora gasped a little, chest heaving with emotion. Of  _ course _ Ventus knew exactly what made him so scared. He should have known better than to try and hide it. He let out a watery laugh.

 

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just really hate goodbyes. And-" Ventus remained silent, giving him time to arrange his thoughts. "What if I'm different, after you're gone? You've been with me for so long, what if… what if the me that I've been is only because of you? I don't want to change. I don't want to lose what you've given me." Ventus chuckled softly.

 

_ Sora. Your heart has been kind for far longer than I've been a part of it. Trust me. We'll be okay. _ Hesitantly, Sora reached up towards Ventus, and the glowing heart drifted down towards his open palms. He cradled that light close to his chest, sniffing.

 

"Okay." He nodded once. "I trust you." Ventus nudged in closer for just a moment, a wordless show of encouragement. Then, once again, he drifted up and away. This time, Sora forced his sorrow down, far from where it could affect him. After a moment, the little point of light disappeared, and just like that, Sora was alone.

 

The station beneath him faded away, and Sora was left all alone with his tangled emotions in the blackness. He sniffled, wiped away the tears that betrayed him. 

 

"Goodbye, Ventus."

 

~~~~~

 

When Sora opened his eyes, it was to concerned green eyes right above him, wide with worry and fear. He grumbled a little, groggy with sleep, and pushed the face away from his.

 

"Do I ever get to take a goddamn  _ nap? _ " he groaned, eyes firmly shut against the light. Laughter sounded out from above him, so wonderfully familiar, and Sora opened his eyes again. He blinked, and pushed up off the floor slowly.

 

"Look who's awake," teased a very familiar looking blond. Sora swallowed nervously, his brain finally catching up to what his eyes were seeing.

 

"Oh God please tell me I let out the right one," he breathed. Laughter sounded from inside his heart this time, and relief flooded him at Roxas's familiar tones. Then Sora blinked at his companion, shock overriding his relief. "You look just like Roxas."

 

"I do?" The blond scratched his cheek nervously. "Well, that's gonna be awkward at some point. How come you didn't notice that when you walked in, though?"

 

"I was a little busy!" Sora protested. Then, he deflated, shoulders slumping. He couldn't bring himself to meet his companion's eyes, even though he was practically sitting in his lap, they were so close together. "Are you…" he paused, took a moment to gather his courage. "Are you really Ventus?" He didn't feel different. A little emptier, maybe, but his heart was still the same. He was still…   _ himself.  _ He was rewarded with a snort of laughter and a warm smile.

 

"Aww, c'mon, Sora," he complained, unable to keep the happy warble out of his voice. "Call me Ven." 

 

Sora didn't smile right away. It spread slowly, like the sunrise, until he was beaming with joy. He surged to his feet, and Ven did so as well. Aqua, who was standing a few feet away, smiled at the two of them happily.

 

Sora held out his hand, unable to contain his grin. "It's good to finally meet you for real, Ven." The blond, this boy he'd known forever and yet never really gotten to  _ know _ , looked down at his outstretched hand, then looked up at him. He walked straight past it and wrapped his arms around Sora, pulling him into a fierce hug.

 

"Thank you," he said haltingly, "for giving me my second chance." After his initial surprise wore off, Sora shifted so he could wrap his arms around Ven, burying his face in his shoulder. It was warm, both like and unlike what the presence of his heart had felt like. He was so distracted by the new feeling of having Ven beside him instead of in his heart that he almost didn't register what he'd said. 

 

"Wait. Second chance?" Ven laughed, hugging him tighter.

 

"I'll explain later," he promised. He finally released Sora, and held him at arm's length, smiling widely. "After all, we've got a lot of catching up to do." Sora nodded, humming in agreement. Aqua placed a hand on both their heads and ruffled their hair, receiving matching laughs from the boys.

 

"We should head back to Yen Sid's and give everyone the good news," she told them. "Are you two up for traveling?" Sora nodded vigorously, and Ven flashed a thumbs up.

 

"Ready as I'll ever be!" The two of them shared a grin, and inside Sora's heart Roxas grumbled companionably. He shifted to the front for just a moment.

 

_ You two are gonna be insufferable now, aren't you? _ Sora laughed out loud, receiving a knowing look from Ven. 

 

_ Yeah, probably, _ he thought back, giggling at Roxas's half hearted whining. Roxas gagged.

 

_ Gross. Just don't get all weepy on me when I make my badass return, got it? _ Sora snorted.

 

_ No promises. I did swear I'd get you back, and I meant it. _ Just before Roxas retreated to the back of his heart, he left his parting comment, and Sora's heart swelled with affection for his sometimes morose but always determined Other.

 

_ Yeah, I know. I believe in you, Sora. _


End file.
